Protecting Every Child's Right to Learn How to Read
Give the Gift of Reading this Year

Ensuring that Learning Differences
​Do Not Become Lifelong Disabilities

What We Do
Our team of legal experts utilizes legal tools to ensure that students with dyslexia learn to read and write to their full potential. In addition, we organize professional development, implement evidence-based programs and curriculums to improve instructional quality, and effectiveness to benefit every student at the school district.
 
​Our Process
​The first step is establishing an education plan that meets the student's challenges. Secondly, we ensure that professionally trained teachers can provide the required services. Thirdly, we set up progress monitoring and makes are student's close the gap between themselves and their grade-level peers. Fourth, we teach parents/guardians how to gauge progress and monitor their child in the future. Finally, we run educational seminars for administrators, organize professional development for special education teachers, and first to third-grade general education teachers.

Social Justice
Literacy is an essential component to fully developing as a member of society. Therefore, people who cannot read or write are effectively disenfranchised.
 
We hope to secure funding for our advocacy work within the next year and have the ability to offer free advocacy for the most vulnerable and underserved children in New York. Please consider donating to change a life -  your donations make a huge difference.

​Advocacy includes:

• ​Assisting parents/guardians to obtain an independent education evaluation
• Educating parents/guardians about their child's rights to an education
• Utilizing legal tools to ensure social justice for vulnerable communities 
• Securing an Independent Education Plan (IEPP) or 504 Plan 
• Working with districts to ensure that the IEP correlates with the student's needs
• Working with districts to ensure effective and measurable  goals are in place  
• Ensuring effective progress monitoring tools are in place 
• Charting & tracking progress until the education gap is closed
• Representation at due process hearings
• Organizing cost-effective professional development for general education teachers (K-3rd grade)
• Educating administrators on the science of reading and language-based reading differences
• Effective evidence-based explicit writing programs

Need Help? Fill out the confidential advocacy form, and we will contact you within 24 hours

GO TO INTAKE FORM

Suzanne Schneider

Advocate​

Suzanne understands dyslexia and education institutions from several vantage points. First, she is the mother of a child with dyslexia. Furthermore, she works as an educator, and finally, she consultant to school districts.

Suzanne has an M.S. Ed. is a Literacy Specialist, advocate, academic tutor, and literacy evaluator. Her training includes, but is not limited to,  several Orton-Gillingham approaches, Lindamood-Bell, and The Writing Revolution. She has utilized these approaches to help students with learning disabilities and special needs for over 25 years. 
 
She received a Bachelor’s Degree from Boston University in 1993 and a Master’s Degree from Hunter College in Special Education, with a concentration in learning disorders, in 1995.​
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Kate Pearce

Advocate​

​Kate knows more than anything; what you want is a happy, healthy child who's on the road to a successful future.

With over 10 years of providing children and their families with the tools necessary to meet their academic needs, she works hard to provide students with the most current, evidence-based instruction available.

She also stays on top of ​state laws to ensure that your child's school provides them precisely what they are entitled to and the programs that meet their needs.

Kate loves everything about her work; as an educator, advocate, mom, and yes... proud dyslexic, it would be an honor to serve you and your child.
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Victoria Sanjuan

Advocate

Victoria has three children, two of whom are neurodiverse. She brings both an understanding of being the parent and the knowledge of special education law to best support both parents and their children.

Victoria has been advocating for children with learning differences for over 15 years.

Victoria's purpose is to educate and support parents in their journey in special education. In addition, she wants to ensure that students receive the education that will enable them to be successful adults and reach their full potential.

Victoria has a BA from Boston University, participated in the Wrights law Special Education and Law Training, and is an active COPAA and NSEAI member.​
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Kevin Pendergast Esq.

Education Attorney

Kevin is an attorney with a specialized practice in education law. He earned his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and has served as an LD school educator and administrator.  

In his work as an educator in the field of Dyslexia, he received training in the Orton-Gillingham approach, and his son’s Autism diagnosis led to parent training in continuity for ABA therapy.  

As an attorney, he represents families in securing an appropriate education both in public schools and through reimbursement of private school tuition.  He also advises parents on, and collaborates with them toward, securing independent educational evaluations and proper 504 plans.  Kevin was named a Top Lawyer for 2022 by Hudson Valley Magazine.​

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Special Education Law

Four Definitions about Reading from
​No Child Left Behind

1. Legal definition of reading The term 'reading' means a complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires all of the following:
(A) The skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes, or speech sounds, are connected to print.
(B) The ability to decode unfamiliar words.
(C) The ability to read fluently.
(D) Sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension.
(E) The development of appropriate active strategies to construct meaning from print.
(F) The development and maintenance of a motivation to read.
 
2. Legal definition of the essential components of reading instruction
The term 'essential components of reading instruction' means explicit and systematic instruction in-
(A) phonemic awareness;
(B) phonics;
(C) vocabulary development;
(D) reading fluency, including oral reading skills; and
(E) reading comprehension strategies.
 
3. Legal definition of scientifically based reading research
The term 'scientifically based reading research' means research that-
(A) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading difficulties; and
(B) includes research that- 
(i) employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;
(ii) involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn;
(iii) relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data across evaluators and observers and across multiple measurements and
observations; and
(iv) has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review.
 
4. Legal definition of a diagnostic reading assessment The term 'diagnostic reading assessment' means an assessment that is-
(i) valid, reliable, and based on scientifically based reading research; and
(ii) used for the purpose of-
(I) identifying a child's specific areas of strengths and weaknesses so that the child has learned to read by the end of grade 3;
(II) determining any difficulties that a child may have in learning to read and the potential cause of such difficulties; and
(III) helping to determine possible reading intervention strategies and related special needs.

Support our work with underprivileged students
​Make a Donation

Student Advocate Presentations

Video credits and info. Learning Ally 

Here's some examples of students self-advocating. At the beginning of each school year, they present to their new school teachers and explain what dyslexia is. It helps their teachers understand dyslexia, it opens up conversations about dyslexia and conveys how they best learn. 

Victoria's Presentation

Stephanie's Presentation

Parent Advocate Webinars

​Advocating Basic Rights for Your Child with Dyslexia

An In-Depth Look at the IEP for Kids with Dyslexia 

​Webinar: 5 Secrets to Help Students with Dyslexia Become Self Reliant

 Advocacy Parent Reviews